Keep up to date with all the action from Durham's LV County Championship clash with Middlesex at the Emirates Durham ICG

It's the first day of Durham's County Championship clash with Middlesex, and while the visitors are top of the table, the Riversiders are in the relegation zone, still looking for their first win of 2014.

Stay with our man at the game Stuart Rayner as he bring you all the action as it happens, and tweet any questions or comments to @sturayner. If you see anything in blue, it is a link to some background reading.

Introduction

For the first time since April, County Championship cricket is back at Chester-le-Street, and the weather could scarcely be any better for it.

The toss is still 25 minutes away, but we can say with certainty that John Hastings will make his Durham debut, having been handed his cap a few minutes ago. The big fast bowler has played all forms of the game for Australia, but his debut has been delayed because he has been playing - or not playing in most cases - for Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League.

Gavin Main could be the player to drop out after an impressive debut at Trent Bridge last week for the 19-year-old Scot.

Durham will also have a decision to make on the fitness of Scott Borthwick, who has a hand injury. If he is passed fit, that will lead to more head-scratching over where to fit him into the batting line-up after Gordon Muchall's 158 not out against Nottinghamshire.

Sam Robson and Steven Finn in particular will be looking to nudge the England selectors with another good performance ahead of the first Test of the summer, against Sri Lanka at Lord's on June 12.

One of them, Angus Fraser, is here in his capacity as Middlesex's director of cricket and was in the nets earlier keeping a close eye on them and maybe casting a glance over at Ben Stokes too.

There's no confirmed Durham team as yet, but Scott Borthwick is practicing his slip catching, which suggests he might be about to return from his double finger injury. Gareth Breese is not taking part in the exercise.

Middlesex won the toss, but Durham will not be too downhearted at being asked to bat first on a gorgeous morning at Chester-le-Street.

Conditions are perfectly set up to compile a big score, and the Riversiders will be hoping to put themselves into a strong position as they go in search of their first four-day win of the season.

John Hastings makes his Durham debut the day after arriving from India, where he has been playing domestic Twenty20 cricket for Chennai Super Kings.

Even in such warm Chester-le-Street sunshine, a four-day game in the North East will be a bit of an adjustment.

Durham have left out Gavin Main, Usman Arshad and Gareth Breese despite all three making important contributions in this week's rain-affected draw with Nottinghamshire.

The decision is particularly harsh on Arshad, who took the new ball really well in that game.

Mark Wood makes his first appearance since injuring his side at Taunton, where he took 5-37 in an impressive first-innings display.

Scott Borthwick returns after a small flake fracture in his index finger picked up at Taunton a couple of weeks ago. He may not bowl in this match but going into it without a frontline spinner may not be a major concern.

As for who bats where for Durham as a result, that is anyone's guess. Michael Richardson is their top-scorer this season with 493 County Championship runs, Gordon Muchall made 158 not out at Trent Bridge and Ben Stokes will be out to impress the England selectors, so none of them will want to drop out of the top five.

Mark Stoneman is off the mark after hitting Tim Murtagh's second delivery through mid-off for three.

3-0

Steven Finn is taking the new ball ahead of Toby Roland-Jones at the Finchale End.

6-0

Keaton Jennings is off the mark too, with a tuck into the legside.

Steven Finn

The second innings of his previous appearance, against Lancashire, was the first time Steven Finn has opened the bowling in this season's County Championship - a sign perhaps of his growing confidence after a traumatic winter in Australia.

He was still finding his line during his opening over here, but he is sure to be a major threat to Durham.

10-0

A lucky escape for Stoneman on seven not out as Dawid Malan drops a fairly straight-forward catch at first slip off the bowling of Tim Murtagh.

16-0

Keaton Jennings' first four is a near carbon-copy of Stoneman's earlier in this Finn over, stroked through mid-off.

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